BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT – ALL YOU NEED!
Bodyweight workout
1. Where to begin
The reason you read this is that you want to start bodyweight training or you did started it already on your own and failed for some reason. The thing you need to know is, the key to your success is in your head. Of course, successful training needs such elements like persistence, engagement, and even devotion, but what is also essential is knowledge. HOW to do your training right. WHAT to avoid, WHAT to focus on. So in this area, you’ve got your bases covered as you started looking for some advice here. And here’s yet another important thing – it’s better not to leave all to the fate. So you need a plan. A best bodyweight workout plan for a perfect routine for men. But the routine you aim for should be carefully planned and tailored to the level you’re at and your goals as well.
2. Do the list
No, not the exercises list, not yet anyway. The first thing you should do is to think about what do you need. WHY are you training, what are your goals here? How much is the training important to you? In other words – prioritize. Are you going to be a professional athlete? No? So who are you? And who you want to be? And in what way the training should help you be who you are or want to be? To know these things is crucial on two levels.
One thing – it will help you choose the very best exercises for you. There are hundreds of variations of what a full bodyweight workout may look like and the more specific you are, the easier it will be to choose something most suitable. Just remember – calisthenics training does not focus on one part of the body separately – it’s best when you have the holistic approach and work at all of the body during your weekly routine. So you will choose the exercises for your best bodyweight workout plan not because you want to for example work on your legs or arms particularly but rather because you aim to gain more muscles or have better endurance or gain some new skills.
3. There are plenty of exercises to choose from
So we’ve got some preparation covered, and now it’s time to look closely at what does the bodyweight workout mean and what exercises can be included in it. Of course, you know that bodyweight workout means using the weight of your body as resistance against gravity. In other words, you don’t need a gym or any fancy equipment to do the bodyweight routine. You can exercise at home in a park – anywhere and anytime you want. And it’s pretty easy to compose your best bodyweight exercises list! You can put in your routine bodyweight squats, push-ups and pull-ups and bodyweight back exercises as well. As to the last one type (the rest is quite self-explanatory, though they all come in variations), you can do such exercises like reversed snow angels (lay on your stomach with your forehead on the ground as well and bring your arms past your shoulders and up to your ears), dolphin kick (upper body on a bench with crease of your hip at the end of it, face down, lift your legs up and down), superman (on your stomach, face down, lift your arms and legs stretched), or nose and toes against the wall (with hands on a floor put your feet on a wall and start moving the hands towards the wall. Eventually you’ll be able to touch the wall with your nose).
There are also conditioning exercises (hollow body variations for example, where – in the basic position – you lay on a floor with your knees bent and in the air with calves parallel to the floor, head and shoulders lifted, arms stretched along the body and lifted as well) and full body skills (pirouettes, human flag, handstand). So let’s take a look at how such a best bodyweight workout plan may look like.
4. Full-time bodyweight workout plan examples
And here are some pieces of advice about how more specific bodyweight workout plan may look like. Remember that you are the one who chooses particular exercises that will help you pursue your goal whether it is muscle building or endurance increasing or skills practicing. But here an example of an intermediate level bodyweight workout you may find useful. See how different types of exercises are combined to work on a whole body not just one part of it.
- You can start the workout with five muscle ups
- Then do thirty declined pushups
- Follow it with twenty-five air squats
- And ten burpees
- Add fifteen pull-ups
- And one-minute leg flutters
- Then another ten pull ups
- And finish the workout with thirty-second sprint nonstop.
As you progress in your training, you may add more complicated and demanding exercises.
What about the beginners?
If you are just starting the journey with callisthenics, it’s best to tailor your bodyweight workout plan to the level you’re at. But don’t worry – it doesn’t mean the exercises are going to be too easy! In most cases it’s the opposite – starting from a scratch, you’ll see that seemingly easy squats or push-ups (when did in proper form) might become a serious bodyweight muscle strengthening routine! So – if you’re really at the very beginning of your training journey, you should get to know such exercises like – above mentioned – squats, push-ups, but also: bodyweight pull-ups, dips and lounges. Of course, every exercise has its variation so you can choose from air squats, jump squats, bent knee push-ups and so on. Keep in mind that sometimes even basic exercise may be too much for a beginner. So, if you’re just starting your calisthenics exercises, begin with strengthening your body. After that, work on your flexibility and range of motion and then add more advanced exercises.
With every exercise – whether it’s a bodyweight squat or muscle up or human flag, the most important thing is using the right technique to perform it. Make sure that when you include an exercise in your bodyweight workout plan you’ve mastered the technique, or you know what to work on to do just that.
And there’s another thing – you shouldn’t strain yourself out. Of course, when you start your training, you want to achieve something specific and waiting to see the progress you’re making to reach it may be unnerving. But instead of overworking your muscles try and do such exercises where you can observe your progress easily, for example, squats with additional weight. So, when you’re putting together your best bodyweight workout plan, give yourself time to rest. Remember that you need to be fully rested before your next day’s routine.
When you don’t have much time for your routine, you can always give yourself a day rest. But if you’re not up to that, you can, for example, choose three different exercises and do it in a sequence. Give each type of exercise at least 30 seconds then move to another. Do the chosen sequence at least five times but go for more if you have time. You can do the rounds without rest or give yourself small breaks lasting 30 seconds up to 2 minutes after each sequence. Choose the exercises carefully. For example, if you want to direct your training toward some particular skill, do one exercise that is one or two steps below in difficulty (but of course directly connected with the one you aim for) and two conditional exercises. That way, even when you’ll be forced to use your less elaborate bodyweight workout plan, you will still be closer to achieve your goals.
For example, if you want to do the human flag eventually (and who doesn’t, right?) your backup routine may look like that:
- As your first exercise do the flag tuck (that’s the exercise where you put yourself parallel to the ground, but your feet are tucked behind which makes it easier actually to complete the exercise)
- Then proceed to some side planks
- And finish the sequence with rope climbing.
That way you can do all the exercises maintaining proper technique – which is essential if you want to go further. Moreover, adding specific conditional exercises will support the strength needed for you to do so.
And if you want to practice your hand balancing and work on your one arm elbow levers (that’s the exercise when you lift your body on just one elbow tucked near your chest) your workout may look like that:
- Do the one arm elbow but support yourself with other arm fingertips on the ground
- Then do some ring push-ups (push-ups with your hands holding the rings instead of being on the ground)
- And finish the round with single leg deadlifts (lift your left leg while lowering your upper body to make a straight line with it, at the same time touch the ground with your right hand). Pay attention to your glutes and keep your back straight all the time. The reason for it is to avoid using the muscles of extension.
There is also another way – you can work on something you don’t feel yet comfortable doing and add two supportive exercise that will work on your weak points.
5. Let’s do it together!
Feel at lost here? Well, it is a spoonful, I admit that. But if you’re looking for some more guidance on how to construct your perfect workout routine, Caliathletics is here for you. We have twenty level workout routine with lots of exercises tailored to your specific needs. You can choose between workout for practicing static or dynamic skills or work with us on your flexibility and motion.